Philip Lowrie

Philip Lowrie was born in Ashton-Under-Lyne, the son of a paper mill foreman.
At school he always loved acting and when he left his mother managed to save
enough money to pay his fees at RADA. Philip spent three years at RADA alongside
actress Christine Hargraves. Upon graduation, Philip went straight into a
play in the West End alongside Margaret Rutherford and Peggy Mount.

In 1960 Philip auditioned for the role of Ken Barlow in Coronation
Street. He was unsuccessful at that role but alongside Kenneth
Farrington he was on the short list to play Elsie Tanner's roguish
son Dennis. Philip made his debut in episode one and soon became a
national heart throb. He left the show several times to allow himself time to
work in the theatre but he continued appearing until 1968 when he decided to
quit for good. When his screen mother, actress Pat Phoenix discovered
that he had resigned she refused to speak with him unless a scene required it.
Dennis was written out with his new wife Jenny Sutton, played by actress
Mitzi Rogers.

Philip returned to the theatre but continued to make occasional television
appearances on shows including Death Has A Bad Reputation, Rules of
Engagement, Radical Changes, Andy Capp, Crown Court, War and Peace, Tycoon,
Company and Co, Soft Touch, East Lynne, The Cuckoo Waltz, The Liverbirds,
Cilla's World of Comedy, Kate, Devenish, Golden Hill, Notorious Women and
Galloping Galaxies. He also became a regular on the Victoria Wood shows
and appeared in her All Day Breakfast, The Mall, Pat and Margaret, Live In
Your Own Room, We'd Like To Apologise, The Library, As Seen On TV and
Wood and Walters.

Philip has worked in the theatre constantly since 1968 and has appeared at
theatres in Perth, Bristol, Chichester, London, Birmingham, Nottingham,
Northampton, Colchester, Watford, Harrogate, Glasgow, Belfast, Farnham and York.
His plays have included Crooked Wood, The Silver King, The Merry Wives of
Windsor, The Father, Aladdin, Duet for One, When We Were Married, All For Love,
King Lear, Private Lives, The Visit, See How They Run, School For Scandal,
Murder In Mind, Measure for Measure and I Am A Camera.